August 2012

BRANZ seminar: Residential Retrofit and Renovation

The next BRANZ seminar gives expert guidance in the billion-dollar business of renovating and
retrofitting houses. The presentation team will include a BRANZ staff member and a member of
Salmond Reed Architects.

The following are the seminar dates and locations:

Tues 23 Oct Palmerston North

Wed 24 Oct Wanganui
Thur 25 Oct New Plymouth
Mon 29 Oct Napier
Tues 30 Oct Masterton
Wed 31 Oct Wellington
Mon 5 Nov Invercargill
Tues 6 Nov Queenstown
Wed 7 Nov Dunedin
Mon 12 Nov Whangarei
Tues 13 Nov Auckland
Wed 14 Nov Auckland
Thur 15 Nov Auckland
Mon 19 Nov Nelson
Tues 20 Nov Blenheim
Wed 21 Nov Upper Hutt
Mon 26 Nov Timaru
Tues 27 Nov Hokitika
Wed 28 Nov Christchurch
Mon 3 Dec Hamilton
Tues 4 Dec Rotorua
Wed 5 Dec Tauranga

Online registration and more content detail will shortly be available on the BRANZ website.
Purlin spans and spacings

Purlin span information in NZS 3604:2011 Timber-framed buildings Tables 10.10 and 10.11 gives
maximum span, spacing and fixing distances to meet structural requirements. Tables for purlin spacing
in E2/AS1 – Tables 11 and 12 for steel corrugate profiled roofing, Table 13 for trough profile and Tables
14 and 15 for trapezoidal profile – cover spacing required based on base metal thickness (BMT) and
profile. This is what the roofing can span (not what the timber can span) so is about the spacing of
purlins along the rafters.

The end span is the distance from ridge or fascia, and the intermediate span is for the metal roofing
spans in parts other than at the ends. The tables also cover the required fixing pattern in various wind
zones.

Before using NZS 3604 for purlin spacing, first check the proposed roofing metal thickness, as this
dictates the maximum spacing of purlins, and then go to NZS 3604 to match the spacing required in
E2/AS1 to calculate the size and orientation (on the flat or on edge) for the purlin required for the wind
zone.

LBP points

Points for specific allocated activities previously approved by the LBP Registrar have been removed from
the website of the Ministry of Business, Innovation and Employment (which incorporates the DBH, now
known as the Building and Housing Group within MBIE). The maintenance programme hasn’t changed –
1 hour of activity (reading, attending seminars and workshops and so on) still earns 1 point, which LBPs
then enter into their records. This allows LBPs to participate in activities of their choice that are relevant
to their licence. Skills maintenance activities are not required to be approved by the Registrar.

Braced pile systems

NZS 3604:2011 Figures 6.6, 6.7 and 6.8 all depict two piles, and notes in all three figures state “both
piles are braced piles”. This means that each pair in the given configuration qualifies for 160 bracing
units (BUs) for wind or 120 BUs for earthquake (see clause 6.8.1.1). A braced pile system consists of two
piles, each with 450 mm minimum deep footings. The width of footings is covered by Table 6.1 but is no
less than 350 mm for square or 400 mm diameter for round piles. You need a pair of piles to create a
braced pile system that qualifies for one lot of bracing units – it does not mean that the bracing
allocation is doubled because there are two piles.
Thermal breaks for concrete slabs

Amendment 11 to Building Code clause B1 Structure requires that slabs are now attached to the
foundation wall. Details depicted in Figures 2 and 4 of the Build 100 article Insulating slab-on-ground
floors meet the requirement of B1 as amended in August 2011, but Figures 1 and 3 can no longer be
used.

Lintels and Beams Calculator

When using the Lintels and Beams Calculator on the BRANZ website and choosing a foundation type to
support the beam, if the building’s foundation is piles (with no perimeter foundation wall), choose
‘Isolated Pad Footing’ from the options for foundation support. This option overrides the minimum size
as prescribed in NZS 3604:2011 because it takes account of the wind uplift as well as gravity loading.
Should the end of the beam be over a braced pile, use the plan area of the pile as required in the
calculator and the depth as required in NZS 3604 (a minimum 450 mm deep).

Maximum height of slabs without specific design

This is governed by the height of granular fill in NZS 3604:2011 and NZS 4229:1999 Concrete masonry
buildings not requiring specific engineering design. Clause 7.5.3.1 in NZS 3604 sets a maximum total
depth of 600 mm and a minimum depth of 75 mm of granular fill to be placed and compacted in layers
not exceeding 150 mm. Where granular fill is greater than 600 mm deep, specific engineering design is
required. The commentary in clause 7.5.3.1 is a guidance note that alerts users that a geo-tech report is
required to confirm that the land can support the added load of the fill. For NZS 4229, see clause 7.3.1,
which has the same requirement.

New BRANZ book

The latest book in the Building Basics series has just been published. Building Basics: Building Code
Compliance was published in early August and is now available for purchase online.